Parachutes
by tenzins
Summary: They balance each other, her pulling him up and him making sure she stays on the ground. Bolinora. Multi-chapter spanning over many years. Eventually romantic.
1. Parachutes

**Title:** Parachutes  
**Author:** tenzins (previously hangingmardigrasbeads)  
**Rating:** K+, likely to change.  
**Summary:** They balance each other, her pulling him up and him making sure she stays on the ground.

**A/N:** Expect a lot from this. And it's all Brooklyn's fault.

* * *

She's flighty.

Although she knows much, she knows very little. Her life has been concealed on the island, keeping her at a distance from society and social interactions. She's not the best with small talk, and she doesn't like parties. She hides in her room and the library, immersing herself in stories and fables that bring her comfort and companionship. They keep her on the ground.

However, when she does go outside, when she does spend her time with her siblings playing around, she soars. She loves her glider, and she loves airbending battles. She has fun with her training. She finds freedom in the air and the clear blue skies above the deep blue water. It's beautiful, and she soars around in happy circles, proving that she's mastered another trick and another move.

She's skilled.

But she lacks.

And as she stands in the middle of the very crowded room, across the bay from her home, with none of her family or friends around to comfort her, she begins to feel that lacking set in.

She moves through the crowd, dodging and avoiding as people older and taller than her bump into her and sloppily spill their drinks. The room smells of sweat and a mixture of cologne and perfumes. She moves towards the exterior wall, following the color of yellow she sees there, when she bumps into a man in red robes.

"I'm sorry," she apologizes, and he simply walks off. She lets out an exasperated sigh and keeps moving, until she finally reaches the wall. The temperature outside of the crowd is much cooler than inside. She lets out a sigh of relief.

She can't see any of her friends, and she lets out another sigh. She decides that it's probably okay if she disappears for awhile, and moves towards the door. She isn't particularly having a good time, and no one's around.

But then someone is.

She bumps right into him, and with an "oof" falls to the ground. He's instantly concerned, and before she can get a word out of her mouth, he's picked her up.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Jinora, I didn't see you there, are you okay?" Bolin asks in a hurry, the words spilling out of his mouth as he sets her right on the ground. She dusts off her pants and nods her head, words escaping her. He smiles at her.

"Where are you going? You're headed for the door," he says with a twinkle in his eye, and she crinkles her face.

"It's too warm in here. I need some fresh air," she states, and he nods.

"I'll come with you, to make sure you don't get into any trouble," he says with a voice laced full of sarcasm and wit. She moves ahead of him, and he rushes to catch up with her. He says nothing as they walk out the front door, nodding at the security guards there. They walk around the front of the building to a small lookout area. She airbends herself up onto the ledge, and he stands across from her, simply watching.

"Are you okay, Jinora?" he suddenly questions, and she looks up. His eyes are glued to her, and she realizes he's probably scared of her falling off the ledge. She gives him a smile.

"I am fine, there is no need to worry," she responds, and he tilts his head at her. He shrugs, and turns to look out at the water and the city, admiring the look of it at night. He rests his elbows on the railing and lets out a long breath. She turns around so they're facing the same way.

"You know, I never thought I'd be here."

She looks over at him, curiosity spread among her features. She moves over closer to him to hear him better.

"You mean at a party with councilmen and heads of state?" she asks, and he nods slowly.

"It's just so strange, to think of what life would be like if we hadn't met Korra, you know? I've gotten to meet you, and your family, and learn metalbending from Lin Beifong, and all of these crazy adventures…" he trails off, his eyes clouding over as he stares off into the distance.

She reaches over and puts her hand on his shoulder, but he still doesn't look at her. She doesn't mind.

"For what it's worth, I'm glad you met Korra."

He looks up at her finally, and a smile spreads across his face. His eyes soften and his forehead smoothes. He chuckles softly.

"It's worth something, Jinora," he responds quietly, and she can feel the blush on the back of her neck. She takes her hand off his shoulder and looks back out across the water, and he stands up straight.

"How about we go back inside? Don't want to scare your father," he says with a laugh, and she giggles softly. She stands up on the railing, and he holds his hands out as she jumps down. She smirks up at him, and he laughs.

They head back inside, and as they do so, Jinora gently grabs onto the bottom of Bolin's jacket. He looks down at her, and offers her a small smile.

"Don't worry, I'll stick with you," he says, and she grips the fabric tighter. She sighs in relief.

He doesn't leave her side the whole night, and she's glad he's there to keep her ground.

* * *

**A/N:** You can get the gist of this fic so far, right?

Reviews are always appreciate, but keep your hate to yourself.


	2. Sparks

**Title:** Parachutes  
**Author:** tenzins  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters.

**A/N:** So, thank you for the feed back on chapter one! Greatly appreciated there. This is obviously chapter two, and it's loosely based on the song Sparks by Coldplay. In fact, almost all of these are inspired by Coldplay songs.

Enjoy!

* * *

He's a rock.

His bending ability, the strength that has come with many hours of practice and labor, makes him a large force. He's strong, and has perfected many hard moves of his bending style. He enjoys learning new things, challenging himself. The harder the move, the more he tries. And he doesn't accept defeat, doesn't expect anything but the best from himself. And neither does his brother, and he's grown up with the influence of Mako pushing him to be his best, and he's glad for that.

Yet, he yearns.

He's curious about other elements, and how they work. When he's not earthbending, he's watching others bend, watching how they move. He's picked up a few things from Korra's waterbending style, and even learned something from Mako. Air is the one element he's impartial too, and he tends to just watch as Tenzin and Korra work on her forms. It's so different from earth, and he notices them. And he's avoided everyone's attempt to drag him into meditation.

Well, he tried.

Jinora walks in front of him, her eyes melting holes into his head. She's intent, determined to get him to accompany her to the meditation area. And he just ignores her attempts, though it's becoming quite difficult. She's whining at him, pleading, to just once come sit and try it. And finally he stops, and stares at her.

"Jinora, no," he says, and her thirteen-year-old face falls. She crosses her arms and pouts.

"Just once? I know you like studying other bending forms, and I know air is your natural opposite, but just try? It could help you," she pleaded, her eyes wide and her face as pleading as she can make it. He crosses his arms and bends down so he's not so much taller than her, and scrunches up his face at her. She doesn't break.

"Please," she says softly, and he groans. She squeals, jumping up into the air using her bending, and grabs his wrist. She basically drags him to the meditation area, all the while happily laughing. He eventually smiles as the reach the pavilion, and she turns to him.

"You know the pose, correct?" she questions, and he nods hesitantly.

"The same feet style, just with closed fists together?" he tries, and she nods with pleasure. She then turns to sit facing the water, her legs automatically crossing. He sits next to her as she straightens her back and closes her eyes. He mimics her position, and when he finally has his back straight, he shuts his eyes and faces forward, putting his fists together.

He's not sure what's he supposed to be doing, as his mind is suddenly thinking a million thoughts, so he attempts to clear it. He can her Jinora's soft breathing next to him, in through her nose and out through her mouth, and he slows his breath down to her pace. It's difficult, but as he focuses he finds his mind relaxing. He's just working on this one step, and as he finally feels like they're in sync, he lets his body relax and his mind suddenly goes blank.

His breathing keeps him focused on what he's doing, but his mind is relaxed, floating between awake and asleep. His body feels incredibly heavy, almost as if he's going to fall asleep, and he realizes it's because of the overload of oxygen.

And suddenly he thinks he feels what it's like to be an airbender. While his body is heavy with oxygen, he feels something free in his stomach. Something has let loose, and his mind isn't so grounded anymore. He's daydreaming, his mind imagining what it would be like to stand up and fly across the water to republic city, to soar with no earthly attachments. To not own any worldly possessions or feel anything holding him back.

He feels free.

He doesn't know how long they sit there, but it's a long time. When he finally feels Jinora's breathing speed up, reach her normal pace, the sun is behind their backs, and the sky is a bright pink and orange. She looks over at him with a smile, and he just stares.

"How do you feel?" she asks, and he just lets out a very slow breath. He picks his hands up into the air, shakes them, and then wiggles his body.

"Like I'm going to fall asleep," he jokes, and she laughs with him. She sits so her knees are to her chest, and watches him as he wakes up his limbs.

"The longer you do this, the less that happens," she comments, and he just nods. When he uncrosses his legs and stretches them out in front of him, he looks over at her and smiles.

"It was very… relaxing," he decides, and she just nods. The sun is shining behind her head, and it creates a halo on her hair. He smiles at how pretty it makes her look, and he suddenly snaps back to stare at the water.

The wind blows from behind them, and he feels Jinora shiver slightly. He looks over at her to find her with her head on her knees, eyes shut, and face in a complete calm.

"If you're cold, we should go back," he says, and she shakes her head.

"No, it's fine, I'm really relaxed," she says, opening one eye to grin at him. He watches her for a second, before moving over next to her. He puts his arm around her back, and places his hand on the ground. She leans on his bicep, and she marvels at the heat radiating off of it.

"You're really warm," she says with a laugh, and he shrugs.

"Just a perk to being me," he responds, and she shakes her head. He looks around him at the trees, water, and the sky. It's so beautiful, and he takes a moment to take it all in. Finally, he turns to Jinora.

"Thank you, for dragging me into this."

She smiles, and tilts her head.

"You liked it?" she asks, and he thinks for a second.

"Well, yes, in a way. It was challenging for me, and I like a challenge," he smirks, and she looks up at him in all seriousness. Her cheeks are getting red from the sudden cold, and he realizes that he really should be taking her back to the houses.

He moves to stand up, and she keeps staring at him. He helps her up, and bends down a bit. She slowly realizes what he means, and she jumps up onto his back gracefully, looping her arms around his broad shoulders. He holds onto her knees, and begins walking.

"Thank you, for meditating with me, Bolin," she whispers suddenly, her mouth right by his ear. He looks back at her carefully, and sees that she's smiling warmly at him. He squeezes the underside of her knees.

"I should be thanking you."

Neither of them speaks afterwards, and he continues walking.

His feet feel as if they're not touching the ground.

* * *

**A/N:** I hope this flows, I'm in a horrible mood and I tried to keep this flowing.

Reviews are always appreciated. I see you readers there!


	3. Don't Panic

**Title:** Parachutes  
**Author:** tenzins  
**Disclaimer:** nope, not me.

**A/N:** This one was a bit of a tough one, but hey, that's all okay. I gotta it done!

* * *

She's calm.

She always has been. Since the time of early childhood, she was marveled at for her utter composure, and how one could almost forget she was in the room if they weren't paying attention. She slipped away to the library many times this way, escaping her mother's grasp to go find another fable book to immerse herself in. And when finally found, she'd plan again to leave the room and be all alone, with nothing but thoughts and words.

Yet, she had a sense of adventure, a longing, to be like her siblings, so free and spirited. Ikki and Meelo could play for hours, making up scenarios, where Ikki had to play the valiant hero and Meelo was the villain, and they'd chase each other on their air scooters. Jinora would watch, and know that they rarely asked her to play these games, because she'd never been good at them.

That, too, changed.

Five-year-old Rohan sits on her lap, his fists holding his blanket to his chest. He's unusually quiet, and she's apprehensive as to why. She reaches down and tickles him, and he giggles loudly, reaching up to try and stop her.

"Stop sissy," he groans, and she smiles at him. His giggles slow as she pulls her hands back, and his face becomes serious again. He stares up at her with wide, wondering eyes, and she grins at him.

"Do you want to go play with Meelo?" she finally asks, and he perks up. She hangs her head in defeat as he runs off in the direction of outside, his little legs stumbling.

"Be careful!" she yells after him, and he just breezes out the door. She lets out a sigh, and stands up. She stretches straight up, before deciding to head to the library to continue studying airforms for her test. She's almost sixteen, and her father is putting pressure on her to get her airforms perfect.

She sits down quietly in the library, pulling over the book she's been pouring over for the past two weeks. Most of the forms she knows, and has perfected, but she's always believed that there's no such thing as too much practice.

She's staring intently at a move her father's perfected, when she hears someone entering the library. She sits up straight in the chair, her back rigid, when she notices that it's just Bolin. She smiles.

"Hi Bolin," she greets him, and he smiles at her.

"Are you still pouring over those books? Have you gone outside in the past two weeks?" he teases, and she sends him a glare.

"I have gone outside, thank you very much," she snaps, and he frowns.

"I was kidding, Jinora. I know you've been outside, practicing," he insists, and she lets out a breath.

"I'm sorry, I'm just stressed. I want nothing but the best for my test," she confesses, her eyes staring at the book, and her hands clenched on the edges. He bends his knees so he's at eye level with her, and pulls her chin up so she's looking at him.

"You're going to do fine, trust me. You're talented, Jinora, don't doubt yourself," he says softly, his voice laced with encouragement. She smiles at him, a little tear coming to her eye at all of the frustration and worry she's put herself through. He smiles at her.

"And come on, isn't air all about freedom? Why don't you go outside and have some fun?" he stands, and holds out his hand for her to take. She stares down at her book, and then back up at him, before setting the book on the table and taking his hand. He smiles at her as he pulls her out of the library, eventually letting go of her hand as they head outside. She blushes.

"What kind of fun are you talking about?" she whines, and he gives her a look.

"I'm talking about something that makes you feel free, and makes you laugh. What do your siblings play?" he asks as they reach head down to the center of the island, where there's the most room. She scrunches up her face.

"I don't know, they're always so noisy," she complains, and he nudges her.

"The noise is part of the fun," he laughs, and she grins up at him. She barely comes up to his shoulders still. It bugs her.

"Well, then what are we going to do?" she asks as they reach the center of the island, and he puts his hand to his chin. Suddenly, he reaches over and taps her arm, before running off in the other direction.

"You're it!" he yells, and she stands there baffled for a second before she runs after him, following the sounds of his laughter.

"You want to play tag with an airbender?" she yells as she swings around a tree, following his maniacal path. He suddenly stops and turns, and she has to dig her heels in to stop before hitting him. She stares up at him.

"Yes, I do," he states before he takes off again, and she sighs. She runs after him, using the tiniest bit of airbending to try to keep up with him. His legs are stronger and longer than hers, making him faster.

She finally catches up with him and tags his shoulder, and he groans.

"No cheating!" he yells as he chases after her, and she just laughs. She's tempted to use an air scooter, but she refrains as she runs through some of the trees, cracking up at the sound of him maneuvering through them.

"You wanted to play," she says as she turns around and runs right by him, and he speeds off to catch her. She panics for a moment coming out of the trees, and she races down to the dock.

"Oh, I've got you," he hollers up at her, and she looks around. She's certainly caught, and she turns around to face him as he walks up to her. She holds her breath as he stops not but a foot in front of her, and points at her.

"You sure are fast, Nora," he says breathlessly, and her cheeks flare up at the nickname. No one other than her family's ever called her that, and it pulls at something in her stomach. She crosses her arms.

"I'm an airbender. I have amazing speed," she brags, and he crosses his arms to mimic her.

"I heard you laughing. You were having fun," he says pointedly, and she pouts.

"So what if I was," she snaps back, and he shrugs casually.

"But, you do realize you're trapped, as long as you don't cheat," he responds, and she stares at him blankly.

"I don't cheat," she insists, and he raises his hands in a sign of surrender. He walks forward so he's toe to toe with her, and she has to look straight up to see his face. There's warmth on the back of her neck again. She swallows.

"Then in that case, you're it," he says, tapping her on the head.

They don't move for a moment, his head still placed lightly on her head. Her cheeks flare up, and before he can say anything, she flies up into the air and disappears over his head.

"That's cheating," he yells up at her, and he can hear her laugh echoing off the island, and it makes him smile.

* * *

**A/N: **And, as always, reviews are appreciated! :)

-tenzins


	4. We Never Change

**Title:** Parachutes  
**Author:** tenzins  
**Disclaimer:** nope, never ever me.

**A/N:** This is undoubetly longer than the rest, and a little... well, idk. I love it, so there.

* * *

He's dedicated.

At the age of twenty three, he's accomplished more than he ever thought he could. Not only did he lead the Fire Ferrets to back to back titles, but he was able to teach a new earthbender to take his spot when he was offered a one year job in the former Earth Kingdom, teaching a class on the new fighting styles of pro-bending. He'd gone, and spend more than a year there, not only teaching pro-bending, but successfully teaching a class of thirty aspiring benders how to metal bend.

But he missed the freedom.

When he was younger, he didn't have so many commitments. He could goof off on Air Temple Island for hours, teaching Meelo tons of tricks to prank his sisters. He'd spend days with his brother and Korra, exploring and being teenagers. And then it all changed when he grew up. And while he had duties, and was expected to be mature, every now and then, he just wanted to goof off.

And he does.

He steps off the boat onto the docks, looking up at the beautiful island in front of him. He knows that Korra and Mako are here, helping Tenzin with important political issues, so he asked to be dropped off on the island. He smiles as he sees a flash of orange come down the hill, and suddenly Meelo is in front of him. The twelve year old looks excited out of his own mind.

"YOU'RE BACK!" he screams, latching himself onto Bolin's torso and squealing. Bolin laughs at the little airbender, and ruffles up his clothes before detaching and throwing Meelo up into the air.

"Yes I am, you stinky monkey," Bolin says with a laugh, and Meelo squeals some more.

It doesn't take long for the island to be alerted of Bolin's return, and the next person he sees is Mako, who runs at him and lifts his little brother up into the air, yelling happily.

"Oh it's good to see you bro," he says as he sets down Bolin, and they smile at each other.

"I didn't know I'd be missed so much," Bolin comments, and Mako just laughs.

"More than you'd think," he says with a laugh, before Korra pushes past Mako and latches her arms around Bolin's neck.

"Welcome home," she exclaims as she pulls back, and Bolin beams.

After everyone's greeted him, and they all start to question him on his time away, he realizes that there's someone missing. Someone that he was really excited to see. So, he thinks of a cover.

"While I'd love to talk, I'm really tired and want to bathe. Stories over breakfast?"

Everyone nods and lets him leave, and after depositing his bags off in his room, he sets out to find Jinora.

He checks all of the usual spots, in the main house, from the library to her room, before he sneaks outside to search for her. He doesn't yell, as he doesn't want someone hearing and catching him, so he sneaks along the paths and keeps his eyes open. He's glad that it's not dark yet, as it's summer, and he enjoys the lingering light and the pink sky.

He finally makes his way up to the meditating gazebo, where he spots the back of her head, and his stomach flops. He can see her arrows at the edge of her clothes, and he's happy to see that her hair's gotten longer again. He may have missed her receiving her arrows, but he'd received a call from her, excited and jubilant. Despite all of her happiness, he knew that the loss of her hair hurt.

He walks up behind her, and pauses. He stares at her, poised and calm, before he sits down next to her. He can hear her soft breathing, and watches her for a moment before straightening his back and shutting his eyes. He breathes with her, before her breathing hitches, and he opens his eyes. She's staring at her, her eyes wide and happy.

"You're finally home!" she squeals, before throwing her arms around him and hugging him tightly. He smiles, and wraps his arms around her, squeezing tight.

"Yes, I am. I'm glad to see you missed me as much as everyone else," he teases, and she pinches his side. He laughs at it, but then gets serious as she continues to hold onto him, her face hidden in his clothes. When she finally pulls back, her face is happy and calm. She puts her hands on his chest and her eyes light up.

"I have to show you something."

He follows her down the hill, towards the bison stables, where she quickly finds her bison, a gift for becoming an airbending master, and tells him to get on. He sits behind her, as she doesn't want to waste time saddling the creature, and he carefully wraps his arms around her slender waist. He keeps his eyes forward.

They fly over the bay towards the city, but then she steers the bison to the left, up towards the outskirts and the green pasture and hills. He looks at the city, extremely happy to be home. He's staring at the new buildings when suddenly he's leaning down as Jinora leads the animal to the ground, in what looks like the beginning of a new park. When the bison lands, Jinora turns to look at him.

"Follow me," she says, slipping out of his arms and sliding off the animal. He follows her, across the green grass towards what looks like a play structure.

"They're building this new park so that the people who live nearby can have a place to relax, and so kids can play. My father's been helping to keep progress, and to make sure that it's exactly the way it needs to be. And I, amazingly, convinced him to add in this special feature."

They come up to the center of the park, where a large structure stands. It has three tubes, slides, and many stairs and ropes. He stares up at the structure, and looks down as Jinora disappears onto the stairs, climbing fast.

"Jinora, are you sure we're allowed out here?" he yells up at her, and she looks down at him.

"It's not officially open, but I can guarantee you that this is completely safe," she responds, and he stares up at her. She disappears from sight, and he jumps back as she suddenly comes out of the slide near his legs. She's laughing, her face the epitome of joy. She stands up in front of him, her head just barely reaching his chin. She's gotten taller.

"Come on, slide with me. I use airbending and you go so much faster!" she exclaims, and he stares down at her.

"What happened to the Jinora that I had to force to play tag?" he asks, and she laughs sarcastically.

"She's still here, if you want her back," she snaps, and he moves towards the play structure. He follows her up the stairs, and she climbs all the way to the top. He follows here there, and stares at her as she waits.

"It's your turn," she says, gesturing to the tube. He frowns.

"Nora-"

"Oh just get in the tube," she interrupts, and he quickly sticks his feet inside. Before he can get ready, she's pushed him down the slide, and he feels a strong wind gust behind him. He yells as he flies out of the end of the slide, and he can hear her laughing.

"That's cheating!" he yells, and she just laughs louder.

"No, that's fun!"

He smiles up at the top of the structure, before running back up. He is greeted by her happy smile, and it makes him feel better. It's been a while since he's seen that smile on her face.

"Get in the tube," he says to her, and she gracefully crawls over to sit at the entrance. He moves up behind her, and grabs her waist. Contrary to what Bolin first thought, the tubs are quite big.

"What are you-"

"Go!" he yelps as he pushes them off, and she squeals as they move down the slide. She uses her airbending, and suddenly they are flying out of the tube onto the grass. He keeps his hold on her waist as they roll onto the grass, and he makes sure she ends up on top of him, so he doesn't crush her.

Her laugh is now constant, as they finally come to a stop, and her hands are gripping his shirt. He smiles as she shakes with a mixture of adrenaline and happiness, and his heart skips another beat.

"It's good to be home," he whispers, and when she finally stops laughing, and they stand up, he takes her hand and pulls her up the stairs.

It's well after dark when they finally make their way home.

* * *

**A/N:** Reviews are always appreciated!


	5. Yellow

**Title:** Parachutes  
**Author**: tenzins  
**Disclaimer:** all i want for christmas is...

**A/N:** Yes, I've done the math since I last updated. But, in my defense, my computer broke. I lost everything. So, now with a new one and a sudden revival of my writing skills, here's the next chapter of Parachutes. And you might want to listen to Yellow. jsyk. :D

* * *

She leaves the island.

It wasn't an easy decision, something she didn't do on a whim. It took her months, and months, to ask her father and bargain with him. He was apprehensive. She was his first-born child, the light of his life, and he didn't want to see her hurt. And she understood, knew that it was just his way, but she needed out. She was nearing 20, and she wanted to go on an adventure. She needed to leave, and go.

And she got her wish.

But on one condition.

Jinora sits on her bison, Saera, flying towards the Earth Kingdom. She relaxes back, letting her hands go behind her head and her eyes to close. She's been flying for a day, and while she'd love to go take a rest, her companion is not the best at flying her bison.

She sighs in defeat and climbs up to the saddle, staring at the man sleeping there. She smiles, knowing what he gave up to come on her yearlong adventure, at the peak of his career as a teacher and mentor to so many aspiring benders, but when it'd come down to it, he'd needed a break. Moreover, being her guide (as Tenzin had put it, in a firm voice) was a perfect opportunity.

She nudges him, and he grunts at her. His eyes open slowly, and she smiles at the hazy green of them.

"Can you fly Saera for a bit? I know you're not co-"

"No, don't worry, take a rest. I know I've been napping for far too long," Bolin smiles, and she sighs in relief. He slides down onto Saera's neck, and she hears him speaking to her. Jinora smiles.

She grabs the blanket that he's been using and wraps it around herself, ducking her head down low and finding an area with less wind. Saera isn't flying fast, an easy pace she can handle, but the wind is still cold and harsh.

She curls up into the fetal position, resting her head on his extra jacket. His scent envelops her, and she blushes a deep red. She pushes the feeling away.

It's ten minutes before she sits up with an exasperated sigh. She looks down towards the top of Bolin's head, fighting with herself. Finally, she gives up and moves towards him.

"Hey, Bo?" she asks, and he looks up at her with a smile.

"What'cha need?" he asks, and she hesitates for a moment. He catches it, and gives her an encouraging smile. She tries to open her mouth, but when she just can't seem to get the words out, she slides down to him and places herself in his lap, resting her back against his broad chest. He tenses for a moment before wrapping his arms around her, holding her to him.

"Too cold?" he asks, and she hums in response.

"And uncomfortable," she mumbles, but he catches it. He always hears her mumbles.

"I don't mind," he tells her softly, as she knew he wouldn't. He wraps his arms around her tighter, keeping the reigns in one of his hands. She puts the blanket up around her head, and snuggles into him, pushing away the warm feeling on her neck.

She thought she was past this.

They stay like that for hours and into the late evening as Bolin tries to find a place to land and sleep for the night. Saera is becoming tired, and needs food and a nap, and finally Bolin finds a clearing large enough to accommodate the animal.

As they land, Jinora jolts awake, and Bolin keeps her close so she doesn't slide off as Saera lands. The bison groans as she flops to the ground, and the two riders laugh at her antics. They slide off her and land gracefully on the ground, staring at the area around them. Jinora smiles.

"Nice choice," she says, and he nods at her.

"Thank you," he replies and they head to set up camp.

As they sit next to the fire later, side by side and Jinora wrapped up in a blanket, she begins to tell the stories passed down from her grandparents, about their adventures of sleeping in forests and riding around the world hiding from the Fire Nation. Bolin smiles, because although he knows all of the stories, it's different hearing them from Jinora. She knows details from Katara, things that make him laugh until his sides hurt.

"The Dancing Dragon, huh?" he asks her as she finishes another story, and she nods with delight.

"Apparently, Sokka never let them live it down."

Bolin laughs, his arm around her pulling her into his side as he bends over. She smiles at the sound of his deep laugh echoing through the trees. As he calms down, she looks up and frowns.

"It's really late. We should probably get some rest," she remarks, and he nods at her. He helps her stand, and leads her over to where their sleeping bags are. It's a clear night, but Bolin made a tent anyway, just in case. Jinora has long since gotten over the fact that they've slept next to each other every night of their trip so far.

As she settles onto the ground, she looks up at the darkness above her. He sees the action, and bends the earth down, so the sky is visible through the cracks. The stars twinkle down at them, lighting the tent just enough so she can see him smiling at her.

"Yes?" she teases him, and he shakes his head with a smile. He finds his way into his sleeping bag, and as soon as she's comfortable in hers, he pulls her up next to him, offering his shoulder as a pillow. She smiles and rests her head against his warm body.

"The stars are beautiful," she whispers into the dark, and she feels his fingers on her back, moving lightly over her clothes. She shivers.

"They surely are," he says, and she's sure he's not looking up.

She's still blushing when she wakes up in the morning.

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**A/N: **idk man the next one is great so be ready for that I've already typed it!

Reviews are always appreciated!

-tenzins


	6. Trouble

**Title: **Parachutes  
**Author: **tenzins  
**Disclaimer: **oh well then, blah

**A/N: **soooo, this wasn't what I first set out to write, although the over version is surprisingly similar. Just... less... weird, in my opinion. But it's long, and it makes me happy, and I'm satisfied, so let's go! And you have no idea how much time I spent figuring out the math for the years in here. I'm horrible omg.

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He settles.

After their yearlong adventure, he has to go back to his work, and returns to the flow of his everyday life. He likes the flow, and it gives him comfort and happiness. He's grounded, and his friends come back to him and he's happy. He keeps in contact with his brother, Korra, the airbenders, all except one. And something is missing, a hole he can't fill.

So he decides to fill it.

He walks down the street, past some fruit stands and children playing tag. There's a happy sense in Ba Sing Se. Everyone is preparing for the upcoming festival, the anniversary of the day Ba Sing Se was saved, liberated from Fire Nation rule. It's been 82nd years, and the city is in full swing for a big party. He was on his yearlong trip with Jinora for the 80th, and in Republic City for the 81st. He's ready for the week long party.

He stops at a shop to pick up some food, paying the cashier with a grin. He takes his time walking back to his apartment. The night sky is a bright pink, and it makes the city look even more beautiful. He wanders back, and smiles as he hops up the stairs.

As soon as he's inside, he sets out to make himself dinner. He's almost finished chopping the vegetables when there's a knock at his door.

"One second!" he shouts as he wipes his hands off and sets the knife down. He hurries over to the door and throws it open without looking through the peephole. He stares at the person standing there.

"Jinora," he says, and she smiles meekly at him. He steps aside and lets her inside, and quickly closes the door. She stands in his living room, holding her bag with a meek smile.

"I know your letter said this weekend, but I… came early," she trailed off. He watched her closely.

"That's okay. I was just making dinner. Do you want to help?" he said, taking her bag tentatively from her and placing it on the couch. She follows him slowly, and then finds her place next to him at the counter. They're quiet, uncomfortably slow, before she lets out a long sigh.

"I'm sorry," she mumbles, and he pauses in his cutting before continuing. If he knows anything about Jinora, it's that she needs to ramble before he cuts in.

"I'm sorry I've been out of contact with you. I should've called. I was just so… confused and busy and life became hectic, and I didn't want to talk to you for the longest time, and then I found myself wanting to, but I didn't know if you'd let me in. I was so upset with myself, and you, that I just shut everything out. I'm so, so sorry," she finished in a whisper, and he looked over to see her crying. He set down the knife, took the spoon out of hers, and made her face him. She didn't look up, and he wasn't surprised.

"Hey, why the tears? It's okay," he says, brushing off her cheeks. She pushes his hand away and he feels a burst of wind flare around him.

"It's not! I was… stupid, and childish. I made a mistake, I pushed you away, and I felt horrible about it for months. I have been missing so much, and when your invitation arrived, so short and cordial, I didn't know what to think, and I talked to mother about it and she urged me to go and the only reason I'm here early is because if I didn't leave when I had the confidence I would've never made it here. I would've locked myself back up in the library."

He listens intently, and when the mood she is emulating calms, he reaches up and holds her shoulders.

"I forgave you a long time ago."

She still doesn't look up.

"That's what you do, when you're in love. You forgive and forget."

Her head shoots up, her eyes red and confused. She stares into his face, her mouth slightly agape. She stands shocked for longer than he expected, and when she moves again, it isn't what he expects either.

She jumps up, wrapping her legs around his torso and her arms around his shoulders, burying her face in his neck. He stumbles back slightly, and then holds her tightly. He can feel her shaking slightly, and he rubs her back soothingly. He ends up plopping down onto the couch, where he sits for almost ten minutes with her in his lap. He waits, as he'd been waiting for a year.

Ten more minutes can't hurt.

And when she looks up at him, a hint of a smile in her eyes, he captures her face and kisses her soundly. She doesn't hesitate, her arms back around him in a second.

"I'm sorry too," he mumbles when their lips part and she take in a sharp breath.

"No, no, it was my fault, I freaked over nothing," she argues, and he just smiles at her.

"It wasn't nothing Nora. I asked you to move in with me, to make a commitment and _settle_," he emphasizes, "and you're the person who wanted to go on a yearlong trip because you were feeling flighty. You've always been flighty, and needed to constantly be on the move. I realized ten minutes after our argument that I probably should've come and talked to you in person."

She gives him a sheepish grin, and kisses him again.

"And, you meant what you said, about… being in love?" she questions feebly, earning a soft smile from the earthbender.

"I think I've been in love with you for a long time," he confesses, and she blushes a deep red, "and I'm starting to think it's mutual."

She blushes even deeper, and he chuckles at her. She hugs him again, her face finding it's home in the crook of his neck. She sighs.

"Is that offer still on the table?"

"Which offer?" he teases and she looks up and glares at him.

"You know what I'm talking about," she counters, and he attempts to look confused.

"I have no recollection of any offer," he says as she slaps his shoulder, anger flashing across her face.

"Does the offer to move in still stand?" she finally sits out, and he grins.

"What do you think?" he says with a grin, and she laughs happily and kisses him happily.

They stay like that, forgetting the food on the counter, for over an hour, talking and apologizing again and again, sharing kisses, and smiles.

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**A/N: **DO NOT WORRY, this fic still has some chapters left. I still have some of the songs on Parachutes left to go through, and I've got some ideas.

And if the tense changes in here, I'm sorry, sometimes that happens to me and I try to fix it all the way through! Don't feel ashamed to point parts out to me!

Reviews are, as always, appreciated!

-tenzins


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